The field of outdoor lighting and, particularly, garden or yard lighting has developed through the years to the stage where outdoor lights, particularly those mounted in a garden or yard or along a walk, provide not only accent and safety lighting but add to the appearance of the yard or garden.
Early designs of pagoda style enclosures powered by low voltage systems have assumed an important part of yard decor. I have designed a number or ornamental housings for yard or garden lighting and examples are found in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 318,136 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Des. 316,758 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Des. 317,661 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Des. 316,452 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Des. 316,459
The foregoing patents can well be described as contemporary styling and have been well received for their beauty as well their function. Yard or garden fixtures typically employ a base, often of aluminum or other metal, with a weather resistent surface, some form of water resistent or sealed transparent lens or housing part and often a cover or light reflector for deflecting light downwards the ground surrounding the fixture. Typically a socket will be contained within the housing suitable insulators for a low voltage wire which is conducted into the housing via a conduit underground or surface laid wiring from a step down transformer connected to the house alternating current supply. Sometimes lens or color filters are present in addition to the transparent housing for either controlling or directing a light beam or changing its color.
In each of the designs discussed above, the fixture is itself distinct in appearance and appears as a decor item in its own right in the garden or yard.
I have felt often there is a need for a yard or garden fixture which is fully functional, permanent and yet blends unobtrusively into the garden or decor.